Trial date for alleged July 2021 unrest instigator Bonginkosi Khanyile moved to June next year

Student activist Bonginkosi Khanyile in the Durban Magistrate’s Court in 2022. File Picture: Bongani Mbatha / Independent Newspapers

Student activist Bonginkosi Khanyile in the Durban Magistrate’s Court in 2022. File Picture: Bongani Mbatha / Independent Newspapers

Published Nov 6, 2023

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The trial date for alleged July unrest instigator, Bonginkosi Gift Khanyile has been moved to June 3–14, 2024. The State has meanwhile extended his bail.

In a statement on Monday, the National Prosecuting Authority's Natasha Ramkisson-Kara explained that the date had to be changed as it was no longer suitable for the State and the accused.

The NPA said the State consulted with Khanyile's legal team and new dates had been agreed on; however, the State was recently informed that the matter had been moved to another court.

"The Regional Court President had relocated the matter to another court, thus another magistrate. The relocation of matters is an administrative process to address the overcrowding of the court roll and has no bearing on any case in particular. Following consultations with the parties involved, it was discovered that the above trial dates are no longer suitable," Ramkisson-Kara said.

She added that the new dates were agreed to by both parties.

Khanyile faces charges of incitement to commit public violence as well as charges of contravention of the Disaster Management Act related to the unrest that took place in KwaZulu-Natal in July 2021.

Khanyile has since joined the Patriotic Alliance (PA) and has set his sights on the KZN premier seat.

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